St Teilo's Llandeilo Graban

I spotted the sign to this church while driving to Paincastle a few months back and quickly stopped off on the way back to look at the church. I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw and decided to return when I got the chance it was also one of the churches on The Cleric's trail which I was intending to follow along when I could. St Teilo's dates back to the 14th century with the nave and font being the oldest parts. It also has a wonderful barrel roof that I noticed on my first look which is 15th century, there is a bit more info on Britain Express

This is the first view you get of the church from by the road

and you enter the churchyard by the gate here on the right

There is also a  second churchyard entrance on the West end of the church

leading down the path to the church

 which sits surrounds by the curchyard

both lead you to the wooden doors on the porch

On the opposite side of the church you get this view of the north side form the road

 Going inside you get your first view of this simple church and the barreled roof

Going to the chancel arch you can see the unusual pulpit for this part of the country. Unusual in that it is not what I would expect in a country church 

The chancel with it's choir stalls

The altar rails which are 17th century beyond is the altar.

Anther view looking to the back of the church giving a better view of the roof

Just inside the altar rails is this grave slab which is dated January 13 16** and I note the person lived to the ripe old age of 81

In the corner is a Mothers Union banner of St Teilo's and near the chancel arch the pulpit

opposite the pulpit is the small church organ

View of the nave from the pulpit

One of the first things I noticed was the battlefield cross near the war memorial to Second Lieutenant J Willaims Vaughan who  worshiped at the church

The 14th century font, in the background you can see the battlefield cross

 

Just over to the left of the Roll of Honour is this wood plaque dated 1755.  There is also one memorial near the pulpit to Elizabet & John Williams

One thing I did like was the fact they still had the oil laps on the wall even though the church has electric lights

Going outside if you visit the East end you can see some old memorials, the one on the right being in very good condition from 1772

 Some of the memorials nearby do not fare so well











Though better that the North side of the churchyard which is well overgrown and left to it's own devices

The south side of the church fares better with the grass kept cut

The memorials are old

Getting covered in lichen





















Or becoming overgrown with undergrowth

This one with the old and new headstones belong to the same family

In general most of the headstones are in good condition

Many with the wording on them still celar and readable

They vary in design

and size with tombs among the headstones as well

I did notice a couple of Yew trees in the churchyard

this one looked to be the oldest one

The right hand side of the churchyard looking to the porch has more recent burials on the west side

This one by the path stood out in that it resembles branches on a tree round the outside

I'll leave you with this view towards the east end of the churchyard and church
Have a good weekend

St Bartholomew's Church Holton

St Bartholomew's Church is not far from St Mary in Wheatley and I confess I nearly missed visiting the church as I took the wrong road to get there. The church was first built in 1200 and is transitional between Norman & early Gothic. The chancel was rebuilt in the 14th century and the rectory was built in 1882 it is now part of a single benefice with St Mary Wheatley.

 Seen from the road St Bartholomew with the Lychgate leading to the churchyard

Through the gate shows a path taking you to a small porch by the North transept

 The belltower with entrance below. 

 The steps on the side lead to the bell loft on the South side of the church

The South  transept

The tower across the churchyard

The doorway at the base of the tower leads into a recess with false wall and window added the doors being removed

This gives a view into the church which is as near as I could get as the doors were locked.

Going round the south side of the tower  shows these steps leading to the bell loft though the smaller door intrigues me, did it lead to a Rood loft?

The West end of the churchyard

These headstones are on the left as you go along the churchyard path

nearer the church they are quite old and loosing the inscriptions

some even succumbing to ivy growing over them

others like these on the South side are lost in long grass

even more you can find looking round are peaking through ivy or hidden in blackberry vines

Some are just forgotten

Others still stand proud with a few grave ornaments around them

These graves lay under a tree on the South side of the churchyard

as do these nearby in the nettles, all see to be of the same family though no one cares for them now

Found this headstone interesting as person named was a gunnery lieutenant on HMS Vanguard

I presume he died in 1913 because the ship sunk when a magazine  exploded in 1917 killing 843 men at Scapa Flow

 

This nice old tomb is near the church

some of the newer  graves north of the churches West end

I'll leave you with this view of St Bartholomew's and wish you a wonderful weekend.